Monday, February 15, 2010

Dining Room Table Transformation - Part Two


Well, the snow stuck around for an extra day (yay!) so I was able to enjoy it for a full 48 hours this weekend. But today, the only snow left for me to admire was this guy...



Poor thing.

:-(

I am psyched to report that, according to the weatherman, we are supposed to get some more snow tonight (yay!). So maybe I will actually get to experience three full days of winter this year! If so, it'll be the first time that's happened since I moved to Alabama in October of 2003. So exciting.

:-)

And speaking of white stuff, I'd like to introduce you to our "new", white dining table...



Dining table, meet friendly blog reader. Friendly blog reader, meet dining table.

I achieved the weathered, whitewashed look with a little help from my friends, Trial and Error. I call on them every time I'm more interested in diving head first into a project than taking time to researching the "right" way to do it.
Which is pretty much every time.

:-)

I'm going to attempt to describe how I did it, but you may also want to give Trial and Error a call if you don't have any luck with my instructions. Their number is 555-6574. If Error answers, ask to speak with Trial. Hopefully he'll be able to help you with your project from start to successful finish, and Error can just stay out of it altogether.

Okay. Here we go.
Basically, as soon as I finished sanding down the tabletop, I applied one coat of polyurethane...



...with the smallest foam brush in the world...



What!?
It was the only thing I had!

Well, that's not entirely true.

I do have a huge box of Q-tips. And believe you me, if I hadn't found that puny foam brush at the back of our junk drawer, guess who would've been out in the driveway swabbing poly across the entire surface of her dining room table with an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, cotton-wrapped stick?
You're darn tootin'.

(I told ya, I'm a diver)

:-)

Once the poly was dry, I painted on a coat of watered down, water based paint (Sherwin Williams "Alabaster"). The mixture was about half paint, half water. It sort of reminded me of the consistency of milk. I let that dry, and until the whole surface looked sort of hazy. After that, I used a regular paint brush to dry brush on super, duper thin layers and layers of the Alabaster paint, in the direction of the grain. I probably did about four layers of dry brushing. Finally, I used a piece of 120 grit sand paper (wrapped around a sanding block) to sand the whole surface down until it looked the way I wanted it to. Then, I sealed the tabletop with Deft Clear Wood Finish (from Lowes):



It's non-yellowing, and can be applied over paint. (Polyurethane yellows over time)

The last thing I did was lightly sand the whole top once more with the 120 grit sand paper I had previously used to sand down the dry brushed paint. The clear wood finish I bought was satin finish, but I realllllly wanted the table to be very matte, so the final sanding just took a little bit more of the sheen off, but not enough to affect its durability. Water still beads up on it, which is great.
















Pretty nifty, eh?
I'm really happy with how it turned out. I've never had much luck with faux finishing, so it was neat to finally have one turn out the way I wanted it to!

Here are a couple of close up shots that show some of the distressing I did on the legs...



They're painted Alabaster, and I used my 120 grit sand paper to rough them up a bit here and there...



I had fun decorating the table for these photos using a bunch of Spring-inspired accessories I had around the house...(yes, I said Spring- 'cause I'm excited for that season too!)



(The tulips were $5.00 at Walmart.)



I found the eggs at HomeGoods a while back. I bought them to use on our mantel. (Have I mentioned I'm doing a mantel decorating series next month?)





One of my favorite things about the new tabletop is that is looks pretty without anything on it. I always felt like it needed a tablecloth before. Now, a pitcher full of tulips is good enough for me...







You've come a long way baby...



I'm still working on my "chair situation", but I think I've got it all figured out. I just need to do some more painting before I can introduce you guys. :-)

Happy Monday y'all!
Layla

PS- Are you a Mac, or a PC? Let us know by entering your answer in the poll in our left sidebar, and thank you so much for taking the time to do it!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The winner of the Savon De Marseille soap is:



Sara at The Story of a House
Congratulations girl!
Drop me a line at LaylaPalmer@aol.com to claim your precious prize!

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154 comments:

Beth@The Stories of A to Z said...

It turned out great Layla. I have a weekly Mantel Party that I've been doing for the past few months, so I'm excited to see your upcoming mantel series!

TheVirginiaHouse said...

Wow! I love the final results. Awesome job. I wish I had a mantle... I could do a weekly, "what's on your kitchen counter" post. What a mess that would be.
Thanks for another great post.

Vic said...

OH NO... poor decapitated Snowman! However, your table! It looks so ridiculously AMAZING! It has the most perfect weathered look! And I am so glad to know that there is someone else out there who takes on projects like me... head first with no researching and with lots of trail and error (loved... loved... loved your bit on calling up trial and error on the phone!). Great job!

angela walker jewelry said...

Beautiful table Layla! I totally love it!
I will send some of our snow your way....We have plenty to share here in Pittsburgh!
Health and happiness to you and Kevin!

Marianne said...

That table looks amazing! I love the whitewhash, thanks for the instructions! And that little spring vignette is looking great. I have had my first boucquet of white tulips in the house too. (oh and it would have been fun seeing you attack this project with q-tips. Maybe next time).

steph anne said...

I love your dining table!! I can't believe you found those tulips from Walmart.

Woven and Spun said...

Woo hoo! That table looks AMAZING! I'm very impressed and think my own table would like the same treatment :)
And I hope you get more snow . . . I miss it too :(

The Little Red Shop said...

Sweet! You set a lovely scene!

: )

Julie M.

ps I am a Mac...how cool that so far we are rulin' the poll!

Funky Junk Interiors said...

Beautiful!

I LOVE how you change your mind on stuff. It makes me feel human. :)

LOL over to The Virginia House. I'd totally stop by to see the counter thing. :)

Donna
www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com

walnut&ivory said...

Thanks to your previous post my own dining table was rescued from a horrible fate! (I painted it with exterior paint over varnish and it was tacky a month later, oops!). I stripped the paint off, sanded it back and it revealed a beautiful light grain underneath - that was until the polyurethane yellowed it up again, so now I'm on the hunt for a way to whitewash it back and this post is certainly going to help me achieve that.

You can see how far my table has come along at -
The Table Painting Saga

Thanks so much for leading the way, I haven't been able to find "liming" stain in my little Australian town so the idea of watering down interior paint is fantastic and something I shall hop on to this weekend!

Unknown said...

Great job Layla, I love the new look that you have given the table.
Hope you get some more snow to enjoy. xx

Lynn Kellan said...

I can't wait to see the mantle decorating tips! Your table is amazing!

Kath said...

Beautiful job on the table! I'm inspired to try this technique on some old wooden pieces I have laying around--once the weather warms up. Have a happy week!

Anonymous said...

WOW.....LOVE IT!! And you are a hoot!! I have added T&E's number to my speed dial as I find myself needing it too more often these days!! ;)

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

It's fabulous, Layla! And I love it now even more than I loved it originally! And the tulips are perfection!

Unknown said...

I love the tablescape, and I love love love the tulips (my fave flower). I HEART those eggs, though. Beautiful job, Layla.

Traci@ Beneath My Heart said...

Layla,
I love it, love it, love it! It looks so beautiful in those pictures. So fresh and crisp. Thanks for the tips on how to do it ourselves. I would love to try this on something. :)
Have a great day!
Traci

A Southern Rose said...

Your table looks amazing. I have a farm table for my kitchen table and I have been so tempted to paint just the legs of it creamy white to match my cabinets. I had planned to leave the top alone but now after seeing yours, I might have to paint the whole thing! I just wasn't sure if it would be durable enough to withstand everyday use. Oh and I could just see myself doing the Q-tip thing too! LOL

slip4 said...

The table turned out wonderful! REally gorgeous. I have what looks like the same pitcher with white tulips on my kitchen table. I bought the pitcher at Goodwill, it was a funny pink color. I spray painted it white, then brushed on some pearlescent glaze. Love the raised beads on it. Now if my table looked like yours...:)

white flower farmhouse said...

Layla, Amazing table transformation. It changes the entire feeling of the room, I just LOVE it. The little sponge brush was able to get the job done. Always impressed with you, Lori

Red Door Home said...

It turned out beautifully. You have inspired me to tackle a few of the projects I have been putting off.

My Cottage Charm said...

Layla, I have those same eggs, got mine at TJ Maxx about 2 weeks ago. :) The table looks amazing! Girl send me your address so I can send you some bigger paint brushes! You have some drive to do that whole table with that tiny brush.........but you're right, it's better than a q-tip! lol

Megandvd@Beauty in the Attempt said...

Once again your angelic touch just seems to infuse perfection. Your table is an eclectic, imperfect piece that is alluring. LOVE IT!

Thank you for the email. I will keep you posted. I hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Cheers~
e

Suzann said...

I absolutely love this project and I'm going to give it a whirl this summer!!!
As for the snowman...
Here in Chicago we've had lots of snow - I'll share some if you want. : )

Cindy said...

Layla, your table turned out gorgeous. I love it.

I had to laugh when I read about your little foam brush and q-tip. I could totally relate. I would have been out there with you with my q-tip too. :)

Again, great job.

Have a blessed Monday!

Anita@Theycallmejammi said...

You did a great job with Trial and Error, hope you guys had fun. The table looks fantastic.

Unknown said...

Oh WoW! You sure do inspire me. Thanks for the directions. The table turned out beautiful.

GerryART said...

First time to your blog.
Your dining room table turned out just beautiful.
I love it.

Anonymous said...

You've taken it to a new level Layla. Seems your white farm table inspired Mother Nature to add some white to her surroundings!

Both look wonderful.

- Deborah

Christine said...

I LOVE it friend! Great Job!

maura said...

Boy that table turned out awesome. I love the finish. I also love all your springy decor. I can't wait for spring. I am tired of cold new england weather. It can start to get a little old.

Crafty Niche said...

Your table looks fantastic!

Kathysue said...

GM Layla, what a wonderful makeover, now that it has the Layla and Kevin touch it looks perfection!! Loved the vignette you set up with the white tulips, a favorite of mine. I gave your blog a shout-out on my new blog this morning, I did a post on stripes and your reading nook is perfect to show as an example of subtle done well. If you have a chance come on over, Kathysue

http://goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com/2010/01/yipes-stripes.html

Lynda @ Happenstance Home said...

Your table looks wonderful. Great job! Your room looked great before and now it's even better! Thanks for sharing.

KellyMellyBoBellyBananaFanna said...

It looked great before, and it looks great now! Sometimes it's nice to give our old pieces a fresh look. Good job, Layla!

Kelly

Julie Johnson said...

Beautiful job!! I love your Spring setting too. I think I'm off to Walmart for some tulips....
Julie

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Layla, I have following your blog for quite some time and finally joined this great blog land recently. I adore your style and your humor in your posts. I am the same way when it comes to doing a project. I just jump in and do it. I refinished an antique chest recently to make it more country French and it turned out great. It was blah brown before and now all the details on it show up because of the lighter color and distressing. I use paste wax on mine instead of sealer. I love your cottage and all of it's charm. Would love for you to drop by for a quick visit sometime. Look forward to the mantel series....Kim

Mary said...

Layla, I LOVE IT! Watch out...you will be doing your cabinets again before you know it! ;o) Have you ever tried "liming" a table top? Swear to you, it comes out looking like an old farm table that has been weathered for years. I hope to do a post on it one of these days. I am in love with the finish. Your table is fantastic! Makes me want to go paint something right now! ;o) ~mary~

Anonymous said...

LOVE the "NEW" Table!!! Thanks for the instructions. I'll have to give it a whirl sometime. Perhaps I'll start with something smaller to begin with, like a sign. Congratulations!

Erin @ The Impatient Gardener said...

Oh yeah ... I'm totally stealing that. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, right?

A couple of questions though:
1. Why the layer of poly first?
2. So how MANY layers of white paint? Did you let it dry in between each one? Didn't that take forever?

Lettered Cottage said...

Hey Erin!

I polyed first so that when I sanded back the paint, the right color showed through.

I did 4 layers of dry brushing, and yes, I let each layer dry before I moved on to the next.

The whole project took 2 days total. But I only worked on it a little bit here and there during those 2 days.

:-)
Layla

Room Service ~ Decorating 101 said...

layla, it looks great! And your post was so cute too, I laughed and thought of myself...I think we decorating gals are all the same! 5*

Tales From My Empty Nest said...

The table turned out great. It is so beautiful. I can't wait to see the chairs. Love & blessings from NC!

Kelsey said...

It looks gorgeous! Can't wait to see what you do with the chairs!

Sjn said...

I like the white washed so much better than the brown stain. Good job girl!

Chris said...

Oh. my. lord. It's beautiful! Better than I even anticipated! I'm so glad I got to meet her. I know we'll be the best of friends!

Anonymous said...

It looks fantastic! What a change! Absolutely beautiful.

Unknown said...

very pretty...anyone know why poly is put on before painting the white??

Cottage Dreamers said...

Ha! I can so relate to the tiny foam brush/q tip senario. I'm a diver too.
The table looks wonderful! After I saw your first post about it, I thought I'd give it a try on my table too. I didn't have time this weekend but maybe I'll get started on it Saturday.

Hopeful Housewife said...

Love it Layla!

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

I loved the beautiful dark wood of the table, but it looks equally gorgeous with the white. You did a great job. Hugs, Marty

Cindy @The Flipping Couple said...

Beautiful!! It looks so light and airy. I honestly thought the first picture was straight from a magazine. Absolutely beautiful!! Way to be bold and daring. : )

Heather said...

You did a great job distressing the table! I always seem to do too much or too little when I attempt distressing. I'm looking forward to your mantle series. I like to change out my mantle every month but sometimes I'm pressed for new ideas.

brenda.landrum said...

The table turned out amazing!!!

Shell said...

Wow! Love it! A lot!

misty w. said...

It looks really pretty, but I'm super excited about the mantel decorating. That's always a tough one for me!

Karen@thecolorofsunshine said...

What a fun post to read and your table turned out great! Looking forward to your mantle decorating tips. I've been tinkering with my coffee/end tables this weekend. Need new inspiration!

Marija said...

This is INCREDIBLE. Not that you would want to but you could sell that table for A TON of money. Seriously. Love it. Marija

Cheryl said...

Layla,
the table looks beautiful. You did a great job with the transformation. I am partial to the wood look, but this new look gives it a nice fresh look. Looks fabulous with your spring decorating you did. I love tulips too.

Mrs. Scrimp said...

That table looks really fabulous. Well done, you. I totally know what you mean about jumping in. I'm constantly starting projects with only half the things I need, and making do halfway through because I didn't wait to collect things or get directions.

Anonymous said...

I know that the point of this post was the refinishing, but that is the BEST spring tablescape I have ever seen. Ever. Period. It's gorgeous and I must get my butt to Homegoods and Goodwill to find similar items! I especially love the eggs.

Lotusphx said...

The table looks wonderful!! So inspiring...and I love the spring accessories too :)

Heather @ http://allkindsofgoodies.tumblr.com/ said...

...for the paint-ing-ly challenged.. what is the difference between "dry brushing" and any other "brushing"?

Shar said...

I would like to know if your Alabaster paint was water or oil based?

I really love, love the table. I want to do that to a bedside table.

Thanks!

gail@My Repurposed Life said...

wow! poly first? that's amazing! I love the way your table turned out! It soooo looks like it's a 100 years old! great job! Why are we diy people so impatient? We must do it NOW! :)
Love your tablescape, I can't wait till spring!
gail

chrisatredgatefarm@gmail.com said...

Love the table! Thanks for the excellent instructions... I have a little table and dresser I've been thinking about doing something similar with. Also, does your screen door (in the background) go into another room? I love the look of using screen doors "inside". We just used one for our hall closet and it looks GREAT!

Rosa @ Flutter Flutter said...

It's like night and day!! Goes to show what hard work will do! Way to go!

To The Moon and Back said...

Layla that turned out great! I absolutely love it. I wish I had a mantle, but I look forward to it.

Alyssa said...

Wow! Can I do that with my kitchen farmhouse table??? I just may come Spring! Thanks for this marvelous makeover! I'm glad you did it first. What type of sander did you use the first time? I may have to buy one of those puppies. Also, can't wait to see the mantle ideas! I always struggle with that!

rustic rooster interiors said...

Just beautiful! Looks amazing!

Don't you just LOVE trial & error... Their such great friends to me too! LOL

Great Job!!!!!!

xoxo,
Alexandra

Crib Tales said...

It is stunning! May I ask how you got into the grooves of the table top? We have a farmhouse table in need of some refinishing thanks to greasy, grimy, messy little boy hands on it all the time, but I'm unsure how to get into the grooves...thanks, your table is lovely!

Anonymous said...

The table looks fantastic and I LOVE the spring-y centerpiece arrangement. FABULOUS!

Kristie said...

Oh my ~ your table turned out FABULOUS! I love it! Your spring lovelies look beautiful on top of it too! Yay you!

Kristin @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia said...

This turned out to be so gorgeous! Lots of work for you but so worth it! Thanks for sharing your wonderful tutorial as well!

Michael Wurm Jr said...

Ah-mazing. Super jealous. I want one of those tables!!!

Very neutral, crisp, clean... with a touch of old. Stunning.

Bet you'd like some chocolates and cute nests for your eggs? You can win them over here...
http://inspiredbycharm.blogspot.com

Jessi said...

The table is beautiful!!! I love it.

I am in major need of updating my mantle...can't wait for next month!

Mandi @ Sweetly Home said...

Your table is a beauty! I so chuckled reading about Trial and Error. I'll have to write down that phone number for when I work on my next project. :)

Paula Barin said...

I LOVE this table. It looks amazing with the dark chairs. You are such an inspiration. I have a small china cabinet and I can't decide what to do with it. I think I've found the answer. I like the white-washed look.
I look forward to your mantel series.

Nita Stacy said...

Layla -
I love the way your table turned out. Can't wait to see the chairs. I have my own table and chairs that I need to redo...seeing your's makes me want to get busy and get it done.

Nita

Frugal Home Designs said...

Beautiful! You are amazing and I love your spring accent picture. It looks great. I am in Colorado--STILL in the SNOW. Funny how perspecitves are different. I can't wait for my snow to melt :)

Renee' said...

I love it, great job, i want u to check out the show i did on my blog. Have a great day.

Unknown said...

I love it! You did a wonderful job, as usual. :) I'm going to answer your poll right now, but do you use Google Analytics? They analyze that sort of information for you and you can read it on daily, weekly, monthly, yearly formats, too. You probably already know that and are doing the poll for a different reason. Ignore me! :)

Faded Plains said...

Your table turned out absolutely goegeous...job well done...really well done!

Kate Riley said...

Girl, that is the most gorgeous table EVER ! Like something anyone else would pay big bucks for from a high end store **cough Restoration Hardware cough** but ten times better looking !!!!!

I love your approach using 'Trial' and 'Error' - sometimes you've just gotta trust your instincts and you have proved how right they are !!!! Thanks for the step by step, I'm so inspired to do this for an outdoor table this summer.

What beautiful photos with a fresh hint of spring. I could look at this post all day.

Well done friend. This is why we all love you !

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

All that hard work was worth it for the end product.....a gorgeous table!!
Unfortunately I know error better than trial. But hey, that's what it's all about, right?

Beatiful job.

Sissie

Kate Riley said...

PS - I have to share, you polyurethaning your table in your winter mittens reminds me of myself last month priming my cabinet in my ski jacket. :-) A girl just can't be stopped from a great makeover, come snow, sleet, or hail. :-)

Sara Scheu said...

The table really looks great- I love it! You did a great job.
This may be a stupid question, but can you tell us what it means to dry brush?? Thanks!

Brittney said...

Layla-that looks fantastic! Great job!

Audra said...

THANK YOU! This post is just what I've been looking for! I cover our table with a nice tablecloth...but, I don't like to. I want it to look just like yours (other than the table is totally shaped differently, but you know what I mean). Thank you so much for your tutorial because when I talk to the people at Lowes and Home Depot, they don't know as much as you do--mainly b/c they haven't actually refurbished a table. So again, thanks you!!! Your blog is my favorite :)

Sharon@Sharon at Home said...

Gorgeous ... light and fresh. Great styling too!!!

Danae said...

A big Thank You for the tip on the Deft wood finish!! I had just bought a can of the Minwax to coat the top of my re-painted table with, and you saved me from the sanding that was required in between each coat!
One of the many, many reasons I love your blog :)
Your kitchen table looks fabulous!

Helena said...

This is my dream table.

The Real Estate Talker said...

I love it. My table is next. I have had my farm table for many many years, made from reclaimed wood from PA, finished in early american stain. I love the table but it needs a new look, and you have inspired me to paint it white, and that is the look I want, white but distressed to show wear. I'll post pictures on my blog "Fields of linen & White" once I start

Samantha said...

wow this looks really great, I'm even more fuled up to have a go at my pew.

Sixty-Fifth Avenue said...

You did a great job! I love that look!

Lovely Little Nest said...

Your table looks AMAZING! At first, I thought it was a picture of a dining room from a magazine :)

nell ann said...

It looks like an entirely different table. Wow.
BTW, I had those exact same eggs in my cart last night at HG, but put them back because of their points. Now I see they are barely noticeable in your pics, so I'm going to have to go back and get them!

Erin said...

I've been lurking on your blog a while now, but I just had to comment on the table. It looks fantastic! Love it! I so wish my hubby would let me do that to ours!

Katie Olthoff said...

Okay, I was totally skeptical. But it turned out great! I love it!

Jo said...

Layla, that looks beautiful! Ya'll are champs at everything ;) Doesn't white and green just looks fabulous?!

Pine Tree Home said...

ooooh looks lovely! I just took the leaf out of my table and threw on a table cloth to cover all the blemishes. I am very tempted to do the whitewash technique..have to call on trial and error though. They sound like a fun bunch.

Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe} said...

That looks fantastic! I'm feeling gutsy...

Mrs. R said...

Great job!! I've been toying with the idea of sanding down our dining room table (it was previously my parent's!). You've given me motivation!

AnNicole@Our Suburban Cottage said...

Oh my gosh - you literally have me laughing out loud. "If you get Error, ask for Trial", the decapitated snowman, the q-tips....hahaha....okay, wiping away the tears and gathering myself now.

Uh hum, the table it gorg. As usual your tablescape looks like it came right out of a magazine. Three gold stars for you :).

Patina Soul said...

Wowzers!! You nailed it Layla!!
Congrats! It looks amazing! :)

chris said...

Wow, that table looks amazing! You're so much braver than I am when it comes to " just doing". Even though paint is reversible....I just sckarred.

Thanks for sharing.

Jenni said...

beautiful table!

Alli said...

This is the most beautiful table I have ever seen. EVER. Wow, it is gorgeous. I've been back the your blog several times just to gawk at it. Whew, good work! I think I might give it a try!

Kimberly Knoess said...

Gorgeous! It looks a little like driftwood and that is a very good thing!

Kim @ Twice Remembered said...

Oh, Layla, I just love it! It turned out fabulously! And your vignettes are to die for ... makes me want spring now!

The other night I dreamt that you and Kevin came to visit me. What did we do? Moved furniture! Lol!

Unknown said...

That just turned out wonderfully! You inspire me once again!

And ... your poor snowman. I wanted to say something cute about heads will be rolling but ... well ... it didn't work.

Have a good week. I hope you see more snow.

Lauren1964 said...

Great job on the table! I like it much better this way. It just fits the room better.

Lauren

House and Garden Boutique said...

The table turned out fantastic.....I like it with the alabaster white. Very Spring-like. Thanks for sharing your technique with us!

Anonymous said...

Looks like Trial and Error didn't steer you wrong on this one! :-) I love the way it turned out AND the way you styled it.

SeaWorthy said...

Oh my goodness, it looks 100 times better!
nope, a thousand!!!

nice job Layla, girl..
xoxo (those were a few leftover valentine kisses, by the way!)
coastalnest

Kitty and June said...

looks so good! i love white furniture..just a little obsessed!
Your centerpieces are so good..can't wait to see the mantle!

Elizabeth said...

layla,
i'm considering this kind of finish for my kitchen table. in your last picture, which shows the before, would you mind to take an after shot at that same distance too? you can email me at ebethxo@yahoo.com

Elle Jay Bee said...

The table turned out beautifully, but I am especially digging your tablescape/vignette. Masterfully done, in my humble opinion!

Cheers, on another job well done!
Linda
xo

Gail said...

You did such a great job on this! Excellent. :)

B.jane said...

GREAT great post!!!
Table is a "One of a Kind"! LOVE

Folkman's said...

It is completly SICK how great you are at staging the table for a picture! You have a great eye! The table did turn out great too! Love the before and after!

Tricia C. Harris said...

I knew you could do it :)

DustyLu said...

Oh my gosh I love it! SO amazing. Its so beautiful. Iam going to mark this post as my favorite! Great transformation! ~lulu

Lori said...

That poor snowman would be a great Hallmark card!
Love the table, you did an awesome job!

Jennifer said...

It looks fabulous! I love the painting technique you used (and so did my hubby). I just finished a mantle makeover (nothing fancy), so I look forward to what you have to share.

Jennifer

mary beth said...

The table looks awesome! Thank you for sharing the details of how you got the look, including the sander, the color, etc. I recently painted a bureau and desk and am not pleased with the color at all, so you have given my the courage to go at it with a sander and not stop until I get the look I want! I may even paint the whole darn thing over! Kudos!

Geezees Custom Canvas Art said...

Looks like it turned out great!

Roeshel said...

Lots of comments and praise and I can't resist adding another. Your table looks amazing! I love the new look. Great job!

Roeshel

Leslie said...

It's beautiful! March can't come soon enough, I can't wait for your mantel series!

Cathy said...

Just had to add my "good job" to your comments! I'm getting ready to paint a dresser to use as a buffet/storage piece that I picked up curbside...free...the best kind! Good to know about the poly yellowing. Thanks for sharing all the tips.

Melissa Marie Head said...

Gorgeous! It turned out amazing. I have not been brave enough to try this yet but hope to eventually.

The Single Nester said...

I love it! Thank you for the great step-by-step too!

Susan said...

Just beautiful! I'm inspired!!

Susan at Charm of the Carolines

Holly said...

I have been following your blog since I got my latest issue of The Nest...I love it!

I recently refinished a coffee table and learned a trick from my handy brother-in-law. The smoothest way,and quite possibly the quickest way, to apply any kind of stain is to use an old, but clean, sock! So, next time, instead of reaching for the Q-tips, try the sock drawer!

Hope you get a chance to try it!

Simply Complex said...

I know you got enough comments on your table, but I just wanted to say I don't think that I have ever seen anything so pretty. Good job.

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said...

Layla, The table's new finish turned out great. Your poor snowman! I will be happy to send you some of our snow from Virginia. There has been snow on the ground here for at least 3 weeks.

Le said...

Layla...love the finish on the table, those lovely little eggs, the table scape with the apples and tones of green; couldn't be more crisp, pefectly perfect:)

Sarah said...

That is awesome! I love the transformation. I want to try something like this so bad! Thanks for the tutorial!

cakegirl said...

We have a table like yours that has been cut down to coffee table height. It needs to be painted and you have just inspired me to get to it. Thanks!!!

Design Apprentice said...

I'm not even sure what to say, I am utterly blown away.

Your table ended up beyond gorgeous, beyond any buy from a store. I want it. I am going to show my man this and see if we can't do something similar.

You're an inspiration. Thank you for showing us how you did this, your table is dreamy.

Heidi said...

My table is jealous of your table. Can't wait for mantle tips!

Amy said...

I'd LOVE to have a rail back 2-seater bench like the one you have in your newly finished dining table photos! Where did you get yours?

Caitlin @ That House on the Corner said...

Great work on the table! I absolutely love it. You did particularly well on decorating the centerpieces, totally envious!

Kristin Jackson said...

Beautiful table.
And totally hilarious that you poly-urithaned the whole table with that tiny brush! :)

Anonymous said...

Found you via Sarah at a beach cottage and I'm so glad I did as I have a table just waiting for a similar makeover. Hard part is finding the same products under a different name here in Australia!
alicia

Stacy said...

Hey there! So, I was totally inspired by your table re-do and attempted my own over the weekend. Something I had been batting around for a while but was too nervous to try it. Thanks for the inspiration and tutorial.
Wanted you to know I linked back to you on my blog. . . http://waldenhouse.blogspot.com/2010/02/farm-table-gone-coastal.html

Tracey @ My House of Giggles said...

Oh my! I am in love! You're an absolute pro at refinishing!! I'm hoping to attempt a similar job on a table, but I'm worried about some of the layers being quite toxic. Was the polyurethane really smelly? I have a new little baby and just don't really want the bad smells around the house right now.

Thanks for sharing!

Tracey
myhouseofgiggles.blogspot.com

Jules said...

Hi just wandered over from a beach cottage and must say I am enormously impressed with the table. Beautiful job

k.smith said...

hi there,
what are the floors in your dining room? are they an oak w/ stain? i am having to make a decision by monday on what wood we are putting into our house, and i SEE all the flooring i love, but cant seem to get a name of the wood type! PLEASE help me im dying here!!
thanks

INSANITY ENJOYED said...

Your table looks awesome! Thats exactly the look I want for a table in my front room. Im so glad that you talked to trial & error first and now I can just follow your directions :) I added you to my tumblr so I wont forget.

Karena said...

Layla, this table is fabulous. I absolutely love it!! Great job.....I wonder if I could do this?!

Karena

beth kruse custom creations said...

your table is beautiful! i may use that technique on our dark wood paneling on our screened in porch. that's the look i want it to have. thanks for the directions!

Jenni said...

i saw this post a while back and just found the perfect table to do this sort of treatment on! i was just curious how many coats of the clear wood finish it took before water beads up on it?? and also does it matter what type of finish the white paint is??

thanks so much for the inspiration, i cannot wait to try this out!!!

Unknown said...

This is the most beautiful table I have ever seen! It's so perfect! I am trying "Trial and Error" on an old shelf first, then I am going to do to my dining room table! Do you think that it would work as well with a darker color paint as well? Thanks for a beautiful blog with so much inspiration!
Rachel